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Standing Firm in the Armour of God

🛡️ Study Guide: Standing Firm in the Armour of God (Ephesians 6:10–20)

Main Bible Passage

Ephesians 6:10–20

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…” (Ephesians 6:10–11)

📖 Summary of the Sermon

The sermon explores the nature of spiritual struggle, unveiling the reality of spiritual forces that oppose God’s people.
Drawing from Paul’s imagery of the “armour of God,” it emphasized both the seriousness of the battle and the confidence believers can have in Jesus’ victory.

As Jamie memorably said:
“Jesus literally makes a public spectacle of them [spiritual forces] as they are defeated.”

We are called not just to stand firm, but to advance — wearing God’s own armour, aware but not afraid, and fighting primarily through truth, righteousness, faith, and especially prayer.

📚 Discussion Questions

1. Understanding the Battle

  • According to Ephesians 6, who or what is our struggle really against?
  • Why is it important to remember that our battle is not against “flesh and blood”?
  • Jamie said, “There’s a deeper explanation than just politics or economics…” What might that mean in your context?

2. Unpacking the Armour

Go through each piece of the armour. What does it represent practically in your life?

  • Belt of Truth – What lies do you commonly hear in the world or in your own mind?
  • Breastplate of Righteousness – Do you carry shame that Jesus already paid for?
  • Shoes of the Gospel of Peace – How can you be more “ready” to share the hope you have?
  • Shield of Faith – What “flaming arrows” are hardest for you to extinguish?
  • Helmet of Salvation – In what ways does your thinking need to be renewed?
  • Sword of the Spirit – Are there any verses you know by heart that help you fight lies or fear?

3. Walking in Victory

  • Jamie said, “We don’t fight for victory; we fight from it.” What difference does this make in how you see spiritual warfare?
  • Do you feel more like you’re sitting in first class or shovelling coal in the engine room of prayer? Why?
  • What does it mean for Jesus to “go into battle ahead of us”?

🛠️ Application Questions

  • Which part of the armour do you most need to ‘put on’ this week?
  • What are practical ways to build truth, righteousness, and faith into your daily habits?
  • Are there people or situations in your life where you need to take a spiritual stand?
  • Is God calling you to step out in courage — in evangelism, intercession, or resistance to a specific temptation?

🙏 Prayer Prompts

Take time to pray through each element of the armour. You can do this silently or with others.

  1. Truth – “Lord, help me believe your truth over every lie.”
  2. Righteousness – “Jesus, thank you that I wear your righteousness. Free me from shame.”
  3. Readiness – “Give me boldness and compassion to share the Gospel of peace.”
  4. Faith – “Strengthen my shield. Help me to believe even when it’s hard.”
  5. Salvation – “Renew my mind, Lord. Transform how I think, speak, and live.”
  6. Word – “Help me treasure your Word and be ready to use it in battle.”

Group Prayer Idea:
Finish with a prayer for your church, your city, and each other — that we would “steal back what the enemy took,” walking in Jesus’ victory, filled with the Spirit.

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How to Be Beautiful, Sparkly & Attractive

📖 Study Guide: “How to Be Beautiful, Sparkly & Attractive”

Based on Zechariah 9:9–17

🗣 Opening Thought

We all long for peace, beauty, and a sense of worth. But where do we find it? This passage and message from Palm Sunday point us to Jesus—our gentle shepherd king—who brings peace not through power or might, but through sacrifice, gentleness, and love.

📜 Read the Passage

Zechariah 9:9–17 Read it aloud together or in silence. You can also reference Matthew 21:1–11 to see how this prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus.

🧠 Key Themes from the Sermon

  • Jesus rides in peace: “Your king comes to you… gentle and riding on a donkey.” (v.9)
  • True peace isn’t political, it’s personal: The war Jesus came to win was not against Rome, but against sin.
  • Real beauty comes from God’s Spirit within us: “They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.” (v.16)
  • Peace is possible: “Even now, I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” (v.12)
  • Jesus is the gentle Shepherd-King: He comes not to crush us, but to forgive and restore us.

❓ Discussion Questions

Bible Understanding

  • What stands out to you from Zechariah 9:9–17?
  • Why do you think Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem on a donkey, not a war horse?
  • What kind of king is described in this passage?
  • What does verse 16 mean when it says we will “sparkle like jewels in a crown”?

Sermon Reflection

  • Which story or illustration from the sermon stuck with you (Kathleen, Annie, Helen)?
  • Andrew said, “The stuff that makes us unattractive… Jesus dealt with that by taking all of it on himself at the cross.” How does that hit home for you?
  • Why do you think our culture gets beauty and peace so wrong?

Personal Application

  • What “battles” are you facing internally right now?
  • Where do you need to receive Jesus’ peace in your life?
  • Do you struggle to believe that God sees you as beautiful or valuable? Why or why not?

🙏 Prayer Prompts

Spend time praying either silently or together:
  • Thank God that He sent Jesus as a gentle and peaceful king.
  • Confess where you’ve been chasing beauty, peace, or worth apart from Him.
  • Ask for His peace to fill your heart, mind, and circumstances.
  • Pray that you would begin to “sparkle like a jewel in His crown” as His Spirit lives in you.
“Lord, my life is anything but peaceful… I don’t see beauty when I see me in the mirror… I put these things at the foot of the cross. Clean me. Forgive me. Restore me.”

❤️ Final Encouragement

You don’t have to fight for peace. The King has already won. You don’t have to strive to be beautiful. He sees you as precious. Receive Him as your gentle Shepherd-King today.  

How can we find peace with God amidst our guilt and shame? – Zechariah 9:9-17 – Andrew Gardner

Hope Live | Palm Sunday | Zechariah 9:9-17 | Andrew Gardner In this moving Palm Sunday message, we uncover the […]

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ephesians cover

Put Off Your Old Self

 

Put Off Your Old Self

Ephesians 4:17-32

Central Themes

  1. All the way through Ephesians, Paul is mapping out both doctrines and practices that will enable the fledgling church in Ephesus (and us) to live the lives God planned for them.
  2. The theme of the supernatural world and spiritual warfare also runs throughout the book.
  3. The key theme of this passage is the need for Christians to “Put off” their old nature and “Put on” the new one they have been given.
  4. We are also warned not to live our lives “as the gentiles do.”

Questions (take time to reflect and answer as honestly as you can):

  1. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is the secular (Pagan) world and 10 is God’s Word, give yourself a score to indicate where the main influence on your thinking and behaviour comes from?
  2. Why do you think your score is what it is?
  3. What are some practical, achievable things you could do to get your score closer to a 10?
  4. Romans 12:2 (J.B. Phillips version) urges us not to let the world “Squeeze us into its mould.” Are there any areas of your life where you know the word has squeezed you into its mould?
  5. What can/should you do about that?
  6. How do we “Put off” our old nature and “Put on” the new?

Read Psalm 139:23-24 and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what, if anything, He wants you to “Put off” and/or “Put on.”

 

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Female Heroines in Exodus

 

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Study Guide: “Female Heroines in Exodus – The Women Who Shaped Moses’ Life”

Introduction

This study guide is based on the sermon exploring the courageous women who played pivotal roles in Moses’ early life, as recounted in Exodus 1:1-14 and surrounding passages. The sermon highlights how God used ordinary women in extraordinary ways to preserve the life of Israel’s future deliverer.

Bible Passage: Exodus 1:1-14 (NIV)

“These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob… Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt… But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread… They made their lives bitter with harsh labor…”

Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

  1. Read Exodus 1:1-14. What was Pharaoh’s primary concern about the Israelites? How did he attempt to solve this “problem”?

    “This new pharaoh comes to power and he has a completely different attitude… he decides to send out an order… he’s going to annihilate all the baby boys.”

  2. The sermon highlights six women who influenced Moses’ life. Can you name them and their specific roles?

    “Shiphrah and Puah: Brave and honourable, these midwives that chose to be obedient to God’s instructions rather than Pharaohs.”

    “Jochebed: Faith filled and resourceful… who knew that the best thing to do was to hide him as best she could and trust God with his future.”

    “Miriam: Obedient and trustworthy… already obedient, already trustworthy as a young girl.”

    “Pharaoh’s daughter (Bithiah): Kind and compassionate… she gazed on this helpless little baby and felt sorry for him.”

    “Zipporah: Discerning and humble… did something incredibly wise in circumcising their son.”

Application Questions

  1. The midwives feared God more than Pharaoh. Are there areas in your life where you need to choose obedience to God over obedience to human authority?
  2. Jochebed demonstrated remarkable faith by placing Moses in the Nile. What “impossible situations” in your life require similar faith and resourcefulness?

    “She was faith filled because she trusted God to keep her baby safe in a very unsafe place.”

  3. Miriam, though young, was given significant responsibility. How can we better empower young people in our churches to serve God?
  4. Pharaoh’s daughter defied her father’s decree. Have there been times when you’ve had to go against cultural or family expectations to do what’s right?
  5. The preacher notes: “There are so many ways in which we can be mothers to the people around us, and that doesn’t have to always be as a birth mother.” How can we expand our understanding of spiritual parenting in the church?
  6. The sermon challenges: “Unless we have this rethinking of who we are as men and as women and a new honoring of that of one another… then this fog that is settling upon… our young people… will continue.” How can we better honor and support one another’s God-given roles?

Prayer Prompts

  1. Thank God for the “spiritual mothers” and “spiritual fathers” who have influenced your life.

    “Think about those women today that have been a good influence in your life… those who’ve prayed for you.”

  2. Pray for courage to stand for righteousness like the midwives did, even when it’s costly.
  3. Ask God to help you trust Him with your “impossible situations” as Jochebed did.
  4. Pray for young people in your church to be like Miriam – obedient and trustworthy with the responsibilities God gives them.
  5. Ask God to show you who you can spiritually “parent” or mentor in this season.

Closing Thought

“Without them, Moses wouldn’t have been who he became to be.” Just as God used these ordinary women to shape a deliverer, He wants to use you to influence others for His kingdom purposes.

 

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Living a Life Worthy of Your Calling

Study Guide for Sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16: “Living a Life Worthy of Your Calling”

Opening Prayer

Begin by asking God to reveal His calling on your life and how you can live in a way that reflects His holiness. Pray for humility, unity, and a deeper commitment to Christ.

Scripture Passage: Ephesians 4:1-16

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
(Ephesians 4:1-3, NIV)

Key Themes from the Sermon

  • The Call to Live Worthy of Christ
    • Our primary calling is to Christ before any specific role or ministry.
  • The Cost of Following Jesus
    • True discipleship requires sacrifice—letting go of pride, impatience, and division.
  • Unity in the Body of Christ
    • The Church is meant to be a united body, working together to reflect Christ.
  • Gifts for the Church and Working Together
    • Christ gives gifts to equip the Church for service.
  • Spiritual Maturity and Growth
    • Speaking truth in love and being deeply rooted in Christ leads to growth.
    • “We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves… Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean to live worthy of your calling?
  • How do humility, patience, and love help maintain unity in the Church?
  • How can you better use your gifts to serve the body of Christ?

Application Prompts

  • Commit to Living Worthy of Your Calling – Surrender your struggles and ask God to shape you.
  • Using Your Gifts for the Church – Seek opportunities to serve in your local church.
  • Practicing Unity and Love – Encourage and build up someone in your community.

 

Lord, Make Me Holy – What is a Christian’s calling? – Ephesians 4:1-16 – Gracie Roberts

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Psalm 119:114

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